Thomas E. Stewart - Executive Vice President Ohio Oil and Gas As - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

Tom Stewart serves as the executive vice president of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association (OOGA), having been elected to that position in September 1991.

At OOGA, Stewart is director of staff; editor of the Association's publications; an industry spokesman to media outlets and other forums; and, on behalf of OOGA members' interests, serves as public policy advocate in Columbus and Washington D.C.

Stewart serves as the Ohio associate representative to the Interstate Oil and Natural Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), having been appointed to that position by Governor George Voinovich in 1997. IOGCC is an organization of governors of the oil and natural gas producing states established to promote the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment.

Stewart is an active participant with the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and serves on the IPAA Environment and Safety Committee, the Communications Steering Committee, the Gas Pipeline Safety Sub-Committee and is an original member of the management team organizing the national BRIEF Project (http://www.energyindepth.org/).

In December 2001, Stewart was elected to the Board of the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc. (STRONGER) as one of three representatives for the U.S. oil and gas exploration and production industry. During 2003, Stewart served as chairman of the STRONGER Board. He currently serves as treasurer of the organization.

STRONGER is a non-profit organization created to administer and advance the state review process of the States' oil and gas exploration and production waste management regulatory programs. STRONGER is a stakeholder-driven process with equal representation from government, industry and the environmental community.

STRONGER's objective is to foster constant improvements in state oil and gas regulatory programs in order to protect human health, safety and the environment.

From August 2002 to November 2005, Stewart served as the secretary treasurer of the Liaison Committee of Cooperating Oil and Gas Associations. The Liaison is a national network organization of state and regional trade associations that represent the independent oil and gas exploration and production industry in the United States. Stewart was responsible for coordinating the organization's efforts.

Prior to joining OOGA, Mr. Stewart has fifteen years of formal experience in the oil and gas industry as an oil and gas producer and provider of contract drilling services. He is the third generation of his family to engage in exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas.